Fire escape window



Aug. 13, 1968 J. CIRONE FIRE ESCAPE WINDOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18, 1966 Joseph Cirone Fig.

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Aug. 13, 1968 J. CIRONE FIRE ESCAPE WINDOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 18, 1966 Joseph Cirone INVENTOR.

9 BY W405. 15 Ma.

Attorney:

United States Patent 3,396,489 FIRE ESCAPE WINDQW Joseph Cirone, 40 Vroom St, Jersey City, NJ. 07306 Filed Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 543,1 3? 4 Claims. (Cl. 49-276) ABSTRACT OF THE DISQLOSURE A fire escape window hingedly supported at one edge and provided with a combined latching and opening assembly at an opposite edge. The latching and opening assembly includes an elongated latching member pivotally supported intermediate its length and having latching projections at each end thereof for latching engagement with keeper brackets. The latching member can be moved about its pivot point and the pivot point itself can be tilted within limited degrees to enable latching and unlatching of the latching member with one end of the latching member also serving as a device for forcing the window to an open position.

The present invention generally relates to a window structure and more particularly a window strucnire having novel features incorporated therein to enable the window to be quickly and easily opened so that it may swing to a completely out-of-the-way position so that the window opening may be used as a fire escape or other emergency exit.

While windows frequently are used as a means for emergency exit, it is sometimes quite difficult to open the windows especially when children are entrapped in a building, home or the like inasmuch as children are quite frequently incapable of opening a double hung window sash or the like and also incapable of opening a storm window or screen even after the window structure itself is opened.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a window structure in which the window components are conventional except that a supporting framework is provided for the window structure which is pivotally supported from one edge of the window opening and a novel and readily releasable latch mechanism is provided for the opposite edge of the frame for retaining the window normally in closed position and in latched position and further incorporating novel features which enable the latch mechanism to also serve to open or push out the supporting frame for the window by employing a camming operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fire escape window construction which is relatively simple and foolproof in construction and operation, easy to install in existing building structures or new building structures and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the fire escape window of the present invention illustrating the association of the components of the Window with the building structure;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed elevational view illustrating the movement of the latch and operating mechanism for opening the window;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substa tially upon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the 3,396,489 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 "ice window construction and illustrating the latch and operating mechanism in dotted line position;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing alon gsection line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 illustrating further structural details of the window construction and the operating mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed sectional view of the supporting structure for the pivotal and swingable latch and operating mechanism; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the latching and operating mechanism per se.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 19 generally designates the window construction which includes a transparent panel or panels 12 separated by mnllions 14 and provided with a peripheral frame structure 16. It is pointed out that while the window has been illustrated as a stationary type sash window, the present invention may be incorporated with any type of window including a double hung vertically sliding sash type window, a horizontally sliding sash type window, various metal frame windows including storm windows and the like with the requirement being that the window structure have a peripheral frame designated in the present application by frame 16. Further, the window structure may be a storm window as well as a conventional window or both the storm window and conventional window may be mounted on and supported by the same peripheral frame which for the purposes of illustration is simply designated by numeral 16 with the frame 16 being disposed within an opening 18 in a building wall 20 or the like.

One side edge of the frame 16 is hingedly supported from the vertical edge of the window opening 18 by a hinge structure 22 which also may be of conventional construction. For example, a continuous hinge such as a piano type hinge may be employed with the hinge being sealed to eliminate air leakage.

The opposite vertical edge of the frame 16 is closely associated with the opposite vertical edge of the wall opening 18 and is provided with a pair of vertically spaced loop type keepers 24 and 26 fixed to the inner surface of the frame 16 by any suitable means such as by screw-threaded fasteners or the like. Each of the loopshaped brackets 24 and 26 has a lateral extending openended passage 28 associated therewith and as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the brackets 24 and 26 are laterally spaced from each other on opposite sides of a vertical plane as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Extending peripherally of the window opening 18 is a window framing element 30 of any suitable construction which may overlie the periphery of the frame 16 for forming a stop and seal therefor. Mounted on the frame 39 is supporting element 32 secured in place by suitable screw-threaded fasteners 34 or the like which supports a latching mechanism generally designated by numeral 36.

The latch 36 includes an elongated rod-like member or shank 38 having a transversely extending tubular bearing or bushing 40 rigid therewith and secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by welding or the like. The lower end of the shank 38 is provided with a lateral tapered projection 42 forming a latching member for engaging the keeper bracket 26. The upper end portion of the shank 38 is provided with an offset U-shaped portion which opens laterally as designated by the numeral 44 which forms a loop-type handle having a lateral tapering projection 46 on the free end of the upper leg thereof as illustrated in FIGURE 6. The latching projection 46 extends laterally opposite to the projection 42 in generally parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the tubular sleeve or hearing 40.

The latching and operating member 36 operates in a slot-like opening 48 in the supporting member 32 with the loop handle 44 projecting laterally outwardly through the opening 48 for access from the exterior thereof. The lower end of the opening 48 is enlarged as at 50 to receive the sleeve 40 therein which is offset at one edge of the shank 38. Extending through the sides of the enlarged opening 50 is a supporting bolt 52 which forms a shaft for pivotally journalling the sleeve 40 thereon. The bolt 52 has a head end 54 and a retaining nut 56 on the opposite end thereof. One end of the bolt 52 extends through an opening 58 which may be slightly larger than the diameter of the bolt 52 to enable swinging movement thereof and the outer end of the bolt 52 extends through a slot-like opening 6t) which is vertically elongated to enable rocking movement of the sleeve 40 and latching member 36 about an axis generally perpendicular to the center of the sleeve 40 as well as permitting pivotal movement about an axis defined by the bolt 52.

When the window frame 16 is closed, the handle 44 is moved laterally to the right as illustrated in FIGURE 2 to engage the latching projections 42 and 46 with the keeper brackets 26 and 24 respectively inasmuch as the frame 16 will engage the latching projections 42 and 46 and enable them to move into the lateral openings 28 in the keeper brackets. The mounting of the bolt 52 will normally orientate the latch member 36 in the dotted line position illustrated in FIGURE 2 and in order to lock the window in closed position, the handle 44 is moved to the right and the opening 48 may have a recess formed in the upper edge thereof or the slot-like opening may be wide enough to permit the handle 44 to swing. The tapering construction of the projections 42 and 46 will serve to frictionally and cammingly pull the window frame 16 closed and retain it in place and normally, the latch element 36 will be retained in the operative position illustrated in solid line in FIGURE 2 by the frictional engagement of the projections 42 and 46 with the keeper brackets. In the event of an emergency such as a fire when it is desired to immediately open the window frame so that it can swing completely to an out-of-theway position, it isonly necessary for the handle 44 to be grasped and moved laterally to the left as illustrated in FIGURE 2 to the dotted line position and then pulled downwardly and outwardly as illustrated in FIG- URE 3 in the dotted line position in which event the lower end of the shank 38 having the projection 42 thereon will cammingly engage the frame 16 and force it outwardly thus swinging the window outwardly to a position to enable persons to exit through the window opening 18 without injury and with no delay. This enables even small children to quickly open the window assembly so that a person or persons may exit through the window opening 18.

The latching element 36 also serves as a cam type opening device and is not intended to be employed as a device for opening the window during normal usage thereof but is for use as an emergency type of mechanism to unlatch the window frame and project the window frame outwardly to an out-of-the-way position so that a person may climb or crawl through the window opening. Of course, a fire escape or other escape device may be provided exteriorly of the window but the particular construction of the fire escape itself may be conventional and forms no particular part of the present invention.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the A principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fire escape window for mounting in a window opening in a building wall and including a peripheral frame comprising means hingedly connecting one edge of the peripheral frame to an edge of the window opening in the wall, and means releasably connecting the opposite edge of the window frame to the opposite edge of the window opening in the building wall, said means connecting the opposite edge of the window frame to the window opening including a combined latching assembly and opening assembly having a single handle for initially unlatching the window frame and then forcing the window frame outwardly, said means including a pair of keeper brackets mounted in vertically spaced relation on the window frame and including laterally extending openings, said means also including an elongated latching member having laterally extending latching projections at each end thereof with the laterally extending projections disposed to opposite sides of the latching member for latching engagement with the keeper brackets.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 together with means mounting the central portion of the latching member for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to the window frame and for swinging movement about an axis substantially perpendicular to the window frame to enable the latching projections to engage the keeper brackets by lateral movement and to enable one end of the latching member to cam the window frame outwardly when the latching member is pivoted about an axis generally parallel to the window frame.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said latching member includes an offset loop handle formed thereon for enabling the latching member to be rocked about an axis perpendicular to the Window frame and pivoted about an axis parallel to the window frame for latching and unlatching the window frame and forcing the window frame outwardly by exerting outward force on one end of the latching member.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 wherein said mounting means for the central portion of the latching member includes an elongated pivot bolt, said latching member having a transversely extending sleeve on the central portion thereof rotatably mounted on the bolt, one end portion of said bolt being supported in a slot to enable the bolt to swing about an axis substantially perpendicular to the window frame to enable latching and unlatching engagement of the latching projections with the keeper brackets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,645,234 10/1927 Deimer 49276 X 2,368,824 2/1945 Geddes 49276 X 2,424,366 7/ 1947 Needre 49278 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

I. K. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

